ANALYSIS Bhavitha Mandava at the Chanel Métiers d'art 2026 collection by Matthieu Blazy, presented in New York Credits: Chanel In the summer of 2024, while completing her master's degree at New York University (NYU), Bhavitha Mandava was waiting for the subway on a platform in Brooklyn with no ambition of a modelling career. It was there that a scout noticed her. Just two weeks later, Matthieu Blazy – then at Bottega Veneta – had her walking in his show. 18 months later, she became the first Indian ambassador for the house of Chanel. Although the fashion world was quick to label it a fairytale, her ascent was actually the result of a carefully calculated plan. About: The Data Fashion Brief analyses brand trends and performance through the lens of data. Founded by Carmen Martinez-Ferrer, a senior data analyst for an international fashion marketplace in London (UK), the platform sits at the intersection of fashion and analytics, decoding the industry from a different angle. From macro to micro: why the unknown face is the new strategic asset Bhavitha Mandava grew up in Hyderabad, India, in a Telugu family where academic success was the expected path. She earned a degree in architecture, then moved to New York for a master's in integrated design and media at NYU. Modelling was not part of the plan. This story, and the person behind it, is precisely why Blazy chose her. Under his direction, Chanel has moved away from the polished, untouchable archetype towards something more…
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